Shukto Recipe

The Bengalis are great food lovers and take pride in their cuisine.  In fact so obsessed are they about food, that the man of the house goes to the market daily to buy a fresh supply vegetables and fish which is a must in their daily menu.  The medium of cooking is mustard oil which adds its own pungency.  Another very important item of Bengali cuisine is the variety of sweets or mishti as they call them.  Most of them are milk based and are prepared from chhena.

 A meal, for the Bengali, is a ritual in itself.  Bengalis spend not only the great deal of time thinking about the food but also on its preparation and eating. 

Prep Time : 26-30 minutes

                 Ingredients

• Bitter gourd (karela) Bitter gourd (karela) 1 medium

• White radish 1 inch cubes1 medium

• Ridge gourd (turai) 1 inch cubes1 medium

• Sweet potatoes 1 inch cubes1 medium

• Potatoes 1 inch cubes1 medium

• Broad beans (sem ki phalli/papdi) 1 inch pieces1 medium

• Drumsticks 1 inch pieces2

• Eggplants/ brinjals 1 inch cubes1 medium

• Oil 5 tablespoons

• Poppy seeds (khuskhus/posto) 2 tablespoons

• Mustard seeds 1 teaspoon

• Ginger 1 inch piece

• Panch phoran 1 teaspoon

• Bay leaves 2

• Sugar 1 teaspoon

• Salt to taste

• Ghee 1 tablespoon

                    Method

Step 1

Wash and cut the bitter gourd into thin roundels. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry bitter gourd slices lightly. Drain and keep aside. Make a thick paste of poppy seeds, mustard seeds and ginger.

Step 2

Heat the remaining oil in a kadai. Add panch phoron and bay leaves. When the seeds start to crackle, add the chopped vegetables and stir lightly.

Step 3

Add the ground spices and stir for five to seven minutes. Add two cups of water and cover. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally till vegetables are almost cooked.

Step 4

Add the fried bitter gourd, salt and sugar. Stir and add a tablespoon of ghee. Cook for another two minutes till gravy is not too thick nor too dry. Serve hot.

Cook time : 26-30 minutes

Beetroot Greens Rice

Beetroot Greens Rice Recipe is a rice dish which is made with the combination of rice and beetroot greens. Next time when you buy a bunch of beetroot with leafy greens, do not throw away those gorgeous leaves, as you can include them in your day to day meals like salads, stir fries etc. They are rich in vitamins A, C and anti-oxidants too and even has very less calories. This is one of those healthy and tasty recipe that you can serve in your kid’s lunch box too.

TIME: 25 Minutes

Ingredients;

• 1 cup of cooked rice
• 1 bunch of beetroot greens
• 1 medium sized onion
• 2 tablespoon ginger & garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
• 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Few curry leaves

Directions for Beetroot Greens Rice Recipe:

• To begin making the Beetroot Greens Rice Recipe, firstly remove the beetroot green leaves from beetroot.
• Wash them thoroughly by rinsing in cold water for at least 4-5 times. Chop the onion and leaves along with its tender pink stem finely.
• Separate the pink stem from the greens and keep them aside.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds & cumin seeds. Once they crackle, add onion, ginger and garlic. Saute them till the onion becomes translucent.
• Once it is done, add the chopped pink stem and sprinkle some water on it. They take around 5 minutes to get cooked. Then add the greens and cook it for 1-2 minutes.
• Add chilli powder and coriander powder and saute it more for about 3 minutes. After 3 minutes, add the cooked rice with the mixture and mix it well.
• When the rice is properly mixed with the masala, cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 5 minutes on low flame.
• Adjust salt according to your taste and serve this vibrant Beetroot Greens Rice along with Lauki raita, Avocado raita or any raita of your choice.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake

With Christmas around the corner, cakes and bakes are what are order of the day. This Red Wine Chocolate Cake Recipe has the potential to be the star of your party. Different from the usual fruits cake yet has all the elements of the holiday celebrations

                                                                                                      

TIME: 60 Minutes                                                   

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temprature
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup red wine (you can go upto 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Dutch cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

  Directions for Red Wine Chocolate Cake:

  • To begin making the Red Wine Chocolate Cake Recipe, first preheat the oven to 180C.
  • Line the bottom of a 9 inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Keep aside
  • In a large mixing bowl, using the electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Continue till light until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the egg and yolk and beat till well mixed.
  • Add the red wine and vanilla. Beat for another minute or so. Fold in half the flour mixture. When combined, fold the rest in.
  • Spoon the Red Wine Chocolate Cake batter in prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow the Red Wine Chocolate Cake to cool completely before slicing or serving.
  • Serve the Red Wine Chocolate Cake sprinkled with icing sugar, a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for the holiday season.
   

Quinoa Phirnee (Quinoa Milk Pudding)

 Quinoa Phirnee Recipe is a rich creamy pudding. It is a perfect dessert at your parties and nutritious sweet treat for your little ones too. Quinoa being naturally gluten free, it becomes a comforting gluten-free sweet dish. If you use almond milk instead of regular milk, this recipe is suitable for vegans too. 

                                                                         

Quinoa is naturally gluten-free and contains iron, B-vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus,potassium,calcium, vitamin E and fiber. It is a plant food enriched with protein and  comprised of all essential amino acids.

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 3/4 cup sugar 
• 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 2 cup whole milk (Vegans can substitute this ingredient with almond milk)
• 1/2 tablespoon condensed milk or mawa/khoya (Vegans can eliminate this ingredient)
• 1/2 tablespoon ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron
• chopped assorted nuts for garnishing

• Directions for Quinoa Phirnee

• To begin making Quinoa Phirnee Recipe, place a saucepan on medium heat. Add ghee to it. Once the ghee becomes warm, add quinoa to it. Roast the quinoa till it becomes light brown. At this stage, add 1 cup hot water and bring it to boil. Once the water is reduced to half, add 2 cup hot milk to it. Add the saffron strands to it.
• Let the quinoa and milk mixture come to boil. Reduce the flame to low and let it simmer for 7-8 minutes. By this time, the quinoa will be perfectly cooked.
• When the quinoa is cooked through, add sugar and cardamom powder. Stir well and cook until all the sugar dissolves. You can adjust the consistency of theQuinoa Phirnee by adding more hot water if required.
• Add the condensed milk. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Serve the Quinoa Phirnee Recipe in individual bowls garnished with chopped assorted nuts.
• You can serve Quinoa Phirnee Recipe warm or chilled.

Goan Mushroom Xacuti

 Goan Mushroom Xacuti is an authentic Goan traditional dish which tastes the best when cooked using wild or forest mushrooms, which are available during the rainy season. On the other hand Xacuti is a Goan Masala with certain blend of spices which is extremely popular across India and is used to prepare gravy based recipes.You can also cook this recipe with simple mushrooms, but for the real taste you should always go for the forest ones. Wild mushrooms are a bit more rubbery in taste and takes more time to cook, than the cultured button mushrooms that we get in stores.

 

 Wild mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, Vitamin D and contain selenium which helps to detoxify cancer-causing compounds in the body and helps prevent diseases like cancer and diabetes. They are rich in vitamin C, fiber and potassium and hence promotes heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Since it is rich in selenium, it also helps in increasing one’s immunity. 

Ingredients

• 20 button mushrooms
• 2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• Few springs of coriander leaves, finely chopped
For the gravy
• 1/2 cup coconut, grated
• 4 dry red chilies, crushed
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 5 peppercorns
• 2 cloves
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 marble sized ball of tamarind
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoon oil

Directions for Goan Mushroom Xacuti

• To begin with Goan Mushroom Xacuti, wash the mushroom or wipe them with a clean cloth. Chop them into medium chunks and keep them aside.
• The next step is to make the Xacuti paste. Take a pan and add 2 tablespoon oil. Add the onions and saute them until it changes color and becomes soft.
• Add all the spices including coriander seeds, dry red chillies, cloves into the pan masala and saute for 4 to 5 mins more.
• After 4-5 mins, add grated coconut and saute it on low flame till it changes its colour to brown and then switch off the gas.
• Now add the tamarind ball and turmeric powder to the roasted grated coconut mixture, stir and let this cool down.
• Once its done, grind the grated coconut mixture by adding 1 cup of water to make it a thin gravy and keep it aside.
• Now in the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the remaining chopped onions. Sauce it till the onion changes its colour.
• Once it’s done, add the chopped tomatoes and cook it till they becomes soft. Now add the chopped mushrooms and cook it for 15-20 minutes till they becomes soft and releases water.
• Once it is done, pour the grinder gravy in the mixture and cook it for another 5-8 minutes. Add salt according o your taste and garnish it with chopped fresh coriander leaves.
• Serve Goan Mushroom Xacuti with tandoori roti, naan. You can also have it with soft buns or sliced breads.

Burani Raita (Garlic Based Yogurt)

TIME: 10 Minutes

 Burani raita is a creamy raita from the Hyderabadi cuisine, which is very easy and quick to prepare and pairs perfectly with spicy biryanis. This raita is not only refreshing but is packed with the flavours too. Not only spicy biryanis, you can also have it along with kababs, vegetables curries and phulkas.

 

 

 

 

 Ingredients: 

• 1 cup full cream yogurt/curd
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder, roasted
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• Black salt as per your taste

Directions for Burani Raita (Garlic Based Yogurt):

• To begin with Burani Raita, pour the curd in a medium size bowl and whisk it well using a blender.
  
• Now add the remaining ingredients which includes garlic, red chili powder, cumin powder and black salt. Now mix it properly and your raita is ready.
  
• Serve the Burani Raita with Hydrabadi Vegetable Biriyani or Vegetarian Shami Kebab.

Cinnamon Rice Pudding With Cherry Compote

TIME: 45 minutes Minutes 

 

 Rice is a staple food for most Asians and the fact that rice can be eaten as a dessert is nothing new. Rice pudding is a widely popular dessert all around the world and has numerous variations depending upon the region. In India, rice pudding aka the humble kheer is made in every Indian household.

History says that cinnamon rice pudding comes from Spain, it is now a favorite dessert for many people around the world. My recipe is a variation of the original recipe wherein Cinnamon Rice Pudding With Cherry Compote is slowly cooked to get the heavenly creamy texture. It is topped with cherry compote to balance the sweetness of the pudding with sourness of the cherries.

Serve Cinnamon Rice Pudding With Cherry Compote as a dessert after lunch/ dinner or as a party dessert.

   Cinnamon is a wonder spice which has widely known health benefits. Including Cinnamon in your diet can help you lower blood sugar levels, reduce heart disease risk and help improve Insulin balance. It is loaded with antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients:

for rice pudding:
• 1 cup short grain basmati rice, washed
  
• 2 cup water
• 3 cup full fat milk
• 2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 teaspoon almond essence
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder
for cherry compote:
• 1 cup tinned cherries
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Directions for Cinnamon Rice Pudding With Cherry Compote Recipe:

1. To begin making, Cinnamon Rice Pudding with Cherry Compote, we will first start making the rice pudding. For making the rice pudding, Place a saucepan with handle on medium heat, add two cups of water and bring it to a boil.
2. Once the water boils, add in the washed rice and let it cook for about 10 to 15 minutes on a low flame. Stir it at regular intervals so that the rice doesn't stick to bottom.
3. Once the rice is half cooked and has absorbed all the water, add the milk and the heavy cream. Let it cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes, stirring continuously.
4. At this stage, add the condensed milk and mix well. Please check the sweetness of the rice mixture and adjust the quantity of the condensed milk accordingly. Let the rice mixture cook and reduce to half of its original quantity. Stir the rice mixture at regular intervals. Your rice mixture should become creamy at this stage and rice will be perfectly cooked by now. Turn of the heat and we will proceed towards seasoning the rice mixture.
5. Add the vanilla essence, almond essence, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder in the rice mixture and mix well.
6. Meanwhile, to make the cherry compote, place a saucepan with handle on low heat and add the tinned cherries. On a low flame, let them simmer while you add sugar and mash the cherries using a spatula.
7. At this stage, dissolve 1-1/2 teaspoon cornflour in 2 tablespoon water. Add the cornflour mixture to the cherry mixture and you will notice the cherry mixture beginning to thicken up. Let the cherry mixture boil on a low heat for 1-2 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat and add vanilla essence. Mix the cherry mixture well and let it cool. Your cherry compote is ready.
9. To serve Cinnamon Rice Pudding with Cherry Compote, put the rice pudding in a medium sized transparent dessert glass. Top it up with the cherry compote. You can serve these inviting pretty dessert glasses warm or chilled.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes is a filling and tasty dish which is made with the ingredients like potatoes, milk, butter and cream.The main idea is to make the potatoes floury in texture and seasoned with salt, pepper and various other flavours. One can have it as a breakfast or you can even serve it as a side dish with your meal.

Ingredients

• 500 gm potatoes, cubed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, warm
• 2 tablespoon milk, warm
• 1/2 stick or 1/4 cup butter
• Salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper as per your taste
  
  
  
  
  
  

  Methods for Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes Recipe

  1. To begin with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Take a saucepan and add potato, water and salt. Cook the same for about 20 minutes or till the potatoes become tender and soft.
  2. Once it’s done, drain the water and take out the potato skins. Mash the potato with hands to Potato masher.
  3. Empty the potato mixture in a mixing bowl and set it aside.
  4. Heat butter in a pan and add garlic cloves. Saute it till the garlic flavour is absorbed in butter. Now discard the garlic and add more butter, milk and warm cream in the potato mixture. Mix it properly.
  5. Cook it for 2 more minutes and season it with more salt and pepper if required.
  6. Serve Creamy garlic Mashed Potatoes with smoked Tafu and Grilled Vegetable Salad.You can even serve it as breakfast, a side dish or a dip.

Hilsa Biriyani

Biriyani is a well loved item & Hilsa is one of those rare foods which Bengalis are weak at. Hilsa Biriyani offers you an irresistible combination of the rich biriyani & tasty hilsa.

Ingredients:

• Hilsa fillet : 500 gm
• Basmati rice : 500 gm
• Curd : 150 gm
• Saffron : ½ tsp (soak in ½ cup of milk)
• Onion : 2 pieces (sliced)
• Ginger paste : 1 tbsp
• Red chilli powder : 1 tsp
• Whole black pepper : ½ tsp
• Salt : to taste
• Sugar : ½ tsp
• Whole cinnamon : 1”
• Whole cardamom : 2 pieces
• Whole clove : 2 pieces
• Garam masala powder : 1 tsp
• Mace powder : 1 tsp
• Nutmeg Powder : 1 tsp
• Essence (mitha attar) : 5 drops
• Kewra water : 1 tsp
• Rose water : 1 tsp
• Banaspati Ghee : 5 tbsp
• Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
• Coconut milk : ½ cup
• Milk : 150 ml
• Oil : 2 tbsp

Procedure for preparing Hilsa Biriyani:

• Marinate hilsa with curd, ginger, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, saffron & keep for 1 hour.
• Heat 2 tbsp of oil.
• Add onion to the oil.
• Stir for 2 minutes.
• Add salt, sugar & coconut milk. Allow it to boil.
• Add marinated hilsa & cook till the fish becomes tender.
• Add 2 tbsp of ghee & remove from heat. Keep aside.
• Wash & soak rice. Drain out the water. Keep aside.
• Boil rice partly in water, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom & clove & strain.
• Grease a heavy bottom large vessel.
• Add 3 tbsp of ghee & heat.
• Lay ½ of the rice & then the fish mixture & again the remaining rice.
• Add saffron, essence, rose water, kewra water, milk, garam masala powder, nutmeg & mace powder.
• Cover the vessel with a lid & seal it with flour dough.
• Cook over high flame for 10 minutes.
• Hilsa biriyani is ready to serve with raita.                                                        

Famous Hisla Biriyani Centre: 

Mocambo

 25B Park Street, Park Street Area, Kolkata

 Cuisines: Continental, Italian, North Indian

  Phone number

  033 22654300 

  033 22290095

Malai Toast

Ingredients:

• 4 slices fresh bread
• 1 cup fresh cream(malai)
• 1cup rawa(sooji)
• 1tomato chopped
• 1 onion chopped
• some chopped peices of capsicum
• coriander leaves
• salt and red chilli pwd. as per taste
• butter

 

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except butter and bread and leave it for 10 min.
2. Apply this batter on one side of the bread and shallow fry on tawa with very little butter.
3. Do it till both the sides are golden brown and crispy.
4. Serve with tomato sauce and green chutney

Famous Malai Toast Centre

Address: Shop No. 66, Bentinck St, Esplanade, Chowringhee North, Bow Barracks, Kolkata, West Bengal 700069

Phone:09038913251

Hours: 7AM–10:30PM

Masala Tea

 Masala tea or masala chai is one of the favorite drinks among Indians especially during the monsoon and cold winters. It is believed that it keeps the body warm and break up the blocked sinus. A large population drink it around the year.

  Masala meaning a mixture of spices, is used to make milk tea.

 Total time 15 mins to serve.

Ingredients:

• 2-3 teaspoon, Black tea
• 1-2 inch piece of Ginger
• 3-4 Cardamom pods,Fennel,Cloves
• Cups Water
• Cups Milk 
• Teaspoon Sugar                  

 
Methods:

• In a mortar, crush the cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon, or use a coffee grinder.
• Transfer the crushed spices to a small saucepan, add the water, ginger and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Remove the pan from the heat, cover and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Add the milk and sugar to the pan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and add the tea.
• Cover and let steep for 3 minutes.
• Stir the chai, then strain it into a warmed teapot or directly into teacups.

Moment Published: Jammu and Kashmir (Peace of Heaven) #INDIA

Moment Published: Jammu and Kashmir (Peace of Heaven) #INDIA:   India’s northernmost and sixth-largest state, Jammu and Kashmir (usually shortened to J&K), is one of its most mountainous and stag...

Jammu and Kashmir (Peace of Heaven) #INDIA

  India’s northernmost and sixth-largest state, Jammu and Kashmir (usually shortened to J&K), is one of its most mountainous and staggeringly beautiful. It also encapsulates the cultural and religious diversity of the Subcontinent by falling into three distinct regions. The southwestern end of its thick bracket-shaped expanse is the Hindu-majority area around the winter capital of Jammu. Directly to the north across the first range of the Himalayas is the almost exclusively Muslim Kashmir, as infamous for its ongoing political woes as it is renowned for its enchanting beauty. Finally, to the northeast, hugging the disputed borders with both Pakistan and China, the remote and rugged region of Ladakh, which occupies nearly seventy percent of the state according to its de facto borders, is populated mostly by adherents of Tibetan Buddhism.

 Jammu is the state’s largest city and the traditional stepping-stone into the region, worthy of a stopover in its own right for its imposing fort and admirable collection of temples. Most foreigners, however, head immediately for the summer capital of Srinagar, lynchpin of the famed Kashmir Valley, which also offers the green hills and meadows of Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Unless you fly direct to the enchanting capital of Ladakh, Leh, the decision of when to visit Ladakh is largely made for you: the passes into the region are only open between late June and late October, when the sun is at its strongest and the weather, at least during the day, pleasantly warm. From November onwards, temperatures drop fast, often plummeting to minus 40oC between December and February, when the only way in and out of Zanskar is along the frozen surface of the river. Leh is surrounded by numerous villages dominated by venerable monasteries such as Tikse and Hemis or, further west, Lamayuru. The latter provides a good stopover en route to Kargil, halfway along the Srinagar–Leh road and the jumping-off point for the isolated Zanskar Valley. Other sparsely populated but exquisite areas worth the bumpy detours involved in reaching them from Leh include the icy lakes of Pangong Tso and Tso Moriri, as well as the almost surreal Nubra Valley, with its sand dunes and wandering camels.

 Food And Culture:

  Kashmiri food that we have today in the restaurants has evolved over the years. Highly influenced by the traditional food of the Kashmiri pundits, it has now taken some of the features of the cooking style adopted in Central Asia, Persia and Afghanistan. Kashmiri food makes an extensive use of turmeric and yoghurt. Superb preparation and fabulous aromatic flavor of the Kashmiri food is so alluring that even those who are not feeling hungry end up yearning for more. In the making of Kashmiri dishes, garlic and onion are not used much as in the case of other Indian cuisines. Absolutely rich in taste and exotic in flavor, Kashmiri cuisine has become a popular choice. The strong influence of Kashmiri pandits, who are predominantly meat eaters, explains the reason why the cuisine of Kashmir has more of non vegetarian dishes. Kashmiri thali is preferred mainly for its non vegetarian dishes. However, there are some real

mouthwatering vegetarian dishes too, which are relished by all. Traditional Kashmiri thali consists of Wazwan, which demands lot of preparation. Infact, preparing Wazwan in itself is considered a great art. Substantial time and effort is spent on the making of this special feast. The cuisine of Wazwan encompasses near about 36 dishes. The head chef known as Vasta Waza does all the requisite preparations. It is mostly prepared on some big family occasion or festivity. The use of curd in the preparation of food gives the dish a creamy touch. To enhance the flavor of the meat dishes, Kashmiris add asafoetida (Hing) to it. Other addictive spices used to add to the taste are dry ginger and Saunf (aniseed). Sometimes, ginger is used in excessive quantity that makes the dish pungent. Kashmir being the leading producer and chief exporter of saffron makes an extensive use of it in the form of a colorful flavoring agent. For its amazing aroma, it is added to pulaos and sweets.Kashmiri dishes make a regular use of dry fruits, especially in the preparation of curries. Kashmiris use ghee to cook meals, though in urban areas, well educated families have started using mustard oil as an alternative, to avoid the intake of high fat in ghee. Kashmiri rice is also quite aromatic and light and thus the Kashmiri rice pulao is well liked by people. The cuisine of Kashmir is truly unique and has absolutely no comparison. 

Special Recipies 

Daniwal Korma

Dum Aloo

Kashmiri Chicken

Martswangan Korma

Razmah dal aanchar

Photography:

Dal Lake"SunSet"

Srinagar Rice Harvest

Pahalgam

Betaab Valley, Pahalgam